We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Zacks looks at stocks recently upgraded to a “Strong Buy” rating, ranked by the Zacks Indicator Score.
Top five stocks recently earning a #1 rating includes distribution, automotive, transportation, and mining.
Best stocks to buy now include Constellium, IAMGOLD Corporation and Aura Minerals.
When looking for stocks to buy, new investors often choose names they know – but there are far more potentially profitable stocks out there beyond Meta, NVIDIA, Google or other “Magnificent Seven” stocks.
Professional and institutional investors know better, looking beyond the headlines to search for stocks that are ripe to buy, no matter the company's size, industry or renown.
The Zacks Rank uses four factors related to earnings estimates to classify stocks into five groups, ranging from "Strong Buy" to "Strong Sell." The list below includes some of the latest stocks given a "Strong Buy” rating in the past two weeks, according to Zacks Equity Research, ranked by our proprietary Zacks Indicator Score.
This is our short term rating system that serves as a timeliness indicator for stocks over the next 1 to 3 months. How good is it? See rankings and related performance below.
The Zacks Industry Rank assigns a rating to each of the 265 X (Expanded) Industries based on their average Zacks Rank.
An industry with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The industry with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top industry (1 out of 265), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Industries. The industry with the worst average Zacks Rank (265 out of 265) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Zacks Sector Rank assigns a rating to each of the 16 Sectors based on their average Zacks Rank.
A sector with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The sector with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top sector (1 out of 16), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Sectors. The sector with the worst average Zacks Rank (16 out of 16) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Style Scores are a complementary set of indicators to use alongside the Zacks Rank. It allows the user to better focus on the stocks that are the best fit for his or her personal trading style.
The scores are based on the trading styles of Value, Growth, and Momentum. There's also a VGM Score ('V' for Value, 'G' for Growth and 'M' for Momentum), which combines the weighted average of the individual style scores into one score.
Value ScoreA
Growth ScoreA
Momentum ScoreA
VGM ScoreA
Within each Score, stocks are graded into five groups: A, B, C, D and F. As you might remember from your school days, an A, is better than a B; a B is better than a C; a C is better than a D; and a D is better than an F.
As an investor, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. That means you want to buy stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2, Strong Buy or Buy, which also has a Score of an A or a B in your personal trading style.
Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) looks to find companies that have recently seen positive earnings estimate revision activity. The idea is that more recent information is, generally speaking, more accurate and can be a better predictor of the future, which can give investors an advantage in earnings season.
The technique has proven to be very useful for finding positive surprises. In fact, when combining a Zacks Rank #3 or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time, while they also saw 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Constellium is a global aluminum products manufacturer serving aerospace, packaging, automotive and specialty markets. The company delivered strong performance in 2025, with higher shipments and revenue, a sharp rebound in profitability, supported by improved scrap spreads and solid segment execution. Management projects solid adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow in 2026, underscoring financial flexibility.
Potential Risks
End markets can fluctuate with economic conditions, and results are influenced by tariffs, inflation and foreign exchange movements. Earnings may also vary with metal price lag effects and derivative volatility.
Forecast
A Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) reflects favorable estimate revisions. With a Value Score of A, Growth Score of C, and Momentum Score of A, the stock presents a value-oriented cyclical profile supported by solid price momentum. The chart shows consensus lines bottoming after 2025 cuts and drifting higher into 2026–2027, alongside a recently beat-leaning surprise pattern and a sharp price breakout.
This is our short term rating system that serves as a timeliness indicator for stocks over the next 1 to 3 months. How good is it? See rankings and related performance below.
The Zacks Industry Rank assigns a rating to each of the 265 X (Expanded) Industries based on their average Zacks Rank.
An industry with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The industry with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top industry (1 out of 265), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Industries. The industry with the worst average Zacks Rank (265 out of 265) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Zacks Sector Rank assigns a rating to each of the 16 Sectors based on their average Zacks Rank.
A sector with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The sector with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top sector (1 out of 16), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Sectors. The sector with the worst average Zacks Rank (16 out of 16) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Style Scores are a complementary set of indicators to use alongside the Zacks Rank. It allows the user to better focus on the stocks that are the best fit for his or her personal trading style.
The scores are based on the trading styles of Value, Growth, and Momentum. There's also a VGM Score ('V' for Value, 'G' for Growth and 'M' for Momentum), which combines the weighted average of the individual style scores into one score.
Value ScoreA
Growth ScoreA
Momentum ScoreA
VGM ScoreA
Within each Score, stocks are graded into five groups: A, B, C, D and F. As you might remember from your school days, an A, is better than a B; a B is better than a C; a C is better than a D; and a D is better than an F.
As an investor, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. That means you want to buy stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2, Strong Buy or Buy, which also has a Score of an A or a B in your personal trading style.
Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) looks to find companies that have recently seen positive earnings estimate revision activity. The idea is that more recent information is, generally speaking, more accurate and can be a better predictor of the future, which can give investors an advantage in earnings season.
The technique has proven to be very useful for finding positive surprises. In fact, when combining a Zacks Rank #3 or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time, while they also saw 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
IAMGOLD is a Canadian-focused gold producer with operating mines and a growing development pipeline. Côté Gold reached nameplate throughput ahead of schedule and delivered consecutive record production, with expansion plans targeting a higher processing rate and longer mine life. Strong mine-site free cash flow, ongoing deleveraging and an active share buyback program reinforce financial flexibility and support returns.
Potential Risks
Execution at Cote expansion and plant upgrades remains critical. Essakane faces security pressures and elevated royalties, while Westwood’s grade variability can affect output and costs.
Forecast
A Zacks Rank #1 suggests rising estimates. With Style Scores of C for Value, A for Growth and D for Momentum, forward returns may depend more on delivery than on trend. The chart shows consensus for 2026–2027 moving higher and a recent beat-leaning surprise streak alongside a sharp price run.
This is our short term rating system that serves as a timeliness indicator for stocks over the next 1 to 3 months. How good is it? See rankings and related performance below.
The Zacks Industry Rank assigns a rating to each of the 265 X (Expanded) Industries based on their average Zacks Rank.
An industry with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The industry with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top industry (1 out of 265), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Industries. The industry with the worst average Zacks Rank (265 out of 265) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Zacks Sector Rank assigns a rating to each of the 16 Sectors based on their average Zacks Rank.
A sector with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The sector with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top sector (1 out of 16), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Sectors. The sector with the worst average Zacks Rank (16 out of 16) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Style Scores are a complementary set of indicators to use alongside the Zacks Rank. It allows the user to better focus on the stocks that are the best fit for his or her personal trading style.
The scores are based on the trading styles of Value, Growth, and Momentum. There's also a VGM Score ('V' for Value, 'G' for Growth and 'M' for Momentum), which combines the weighted average of the individual style scores into one score.
Value ScoreA
Growth ScoreA
Momentum ScoreA
VGM ScoreA
Within each Score, stocks are graded into five groups: A, B, C, D and F. As you might remember from your school days, an A, is better than a B; a B is better than a C; a C is better than a D; and a D is better than an F.
As an investor, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. That means you want to buy stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2, Strong Buy or Buy, which also has a Score of an A or a B in your personal trading style.
Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) looks to find companies that have recently seen positive earnings estimate revision activity. The idea is that more recent information is, generally speaking, more accurate and can be a better predictor of the future, which can give investors an advantage in earnings season.
The technique has proven to be very useful for finding positive surprises. In fact, when combining a Zacks Rank #3 or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time, while they also saw 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Aura Minerals is a multi-asset gold producer advancing a disciplined growth strategy anchored in operational excellence and capital efficiency. The company combines delivering projects on time and on budget with a clear path to production growth above six hundred thousand gold equivalent ounces through expansions, new builds and acquisitions. Exploration has expanded mineral resources and reserves at costs well below industry benchmarks, reinforcing long-term reserve growth.
Potential Risks
Risks include execution challenges across multiple construction, expansion and turnaround initiatives underway. Exposure to cost pressures and integration risks from acquisitions could affect margins and delivery timelines.
Forecast
A Zacks Rank #1 reflects upward estimate revisions. With C for Value, A for Growth and B for Momentum, the setup blends fundamentals and trend. The chart shows a sharp price surge alongside rising 2026–2027 consensus lines and a small but increasingly beat-leaning surprise pattern.
This is our short term rating system that serves as a timeliness indicator for stocks over the next 1 to 3 months. How good is it? See rankings and related performance below.
The Zacks Industry Rank assigns a rating to each of the 265 X (Expanded) Industries based on their average Zacks Rank.
An industry with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The industry with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top industry (1 out of 265), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Industries. The industry with the worst average Zacks Rank (265 out of 265) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Zacks Sector Rank assigns a rating to each of the 16 Sectors based on their average Zacks Rank.
A sector with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The sector with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top sector (1 out of 16), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Sectors. The sector with the worst average Zacks Rank (16 out of 16) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Style Scores are a complementary set of indicators to use alongside the Zacks Rank. It allows the user to better focus on the stocks that are the best fit for his or her personal trading style.
The scores are based on the trading styles of Value, Growth, and Momentum. There's also a VGM Score ('V' for Value, 'G' for Growth and 'M' for Momentum), which combines the weighted average of the individual style scores into one score.
Value ScoreA
Growth ScoreA
Momentum ScoreA
VGM ScoreA
Within each Score, stocks are graded into five groups: A, B, C, D and F. As you might remember from your school days, an A, is better than a B; a B is better than a C; a C is better than a D; and a D is better than an F.
As an investor, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. That means you want to buy stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2, Strong Buy or Buy, which also has a Score of an A or a B in your personal trading style.
Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) looks to find companies that have recently seen positive earnings estimate revision activity. The idea is that more recent information is, generally speaking, more accurate and can be a better predictor of the future, which can give investors an advantage in earnings season.
The technique has proven to be very useful for finding positive surprises. In fact, when combining a Zacks Rank #3 or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time, while they also saw 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
DRDGOLD is a surface gold producer focused on reclaiming legacy mine dumps and converting environmental liabilities into long-life assets. Its sustainability-led model integrates renewable energy, water reuse and dust mitigation, while ongoing capital projects and expanded mineral resources underpin growth. A strong cash position, rising operating margins and consistent dividends reinforce its disciplined execution and shareholder-focused strategy.
Potential Risks
Performance remains exposed to fluctuations in the gold price, currency movements and regulatory developments, while production disruptions, cost pressures and power constraints could weigh on margins and execution.
Forecast
A Zacks Rank #1 reflects improving estimates. With a Growth Score of A, alongside C for both Value and Momentum, the stock appears driven more by fundamental strength than by short-term price trends. The chart shows a strong price uptrend as 2026–2027 consensus lines edge higher, with few visible surprise markers, suggesting upside is being driven mainly by gold and revisions.
This is our short term rating system that serves as a timeliness indicator for stocks over the next 1 to 3 months. How good is it? See rankings and related performance below.
The Zacks Industry Rank assigns a rating to each of the 265 X (Expanded) Industries based on their average Zacks Rank.
An industry with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The industry with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top industry (1 out of 265), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Industries. The industry with the worst average Zacks Rank (265 out of 265) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Zacks Sector Rank assigns a rating to each of the 16 Sectors based on their average Zacks Rank.
A sector with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #1's and #2's will have a better average Zacks Rank than one with a larger percentage of Zacks Rank #4's and #5's.
The sector with the best average Zacks Rank would be considered the top sector (1 out of 16), which would place it in the top 1% of Zacks Ranked Sectors. The sector with the worst average Zacks Rank (16 out of 16) would place in the bottom 1%.
The Style Scores are a complementary set of indicators to use alongside the Zacks Rank. It allows the user to better focus on the stocks that are the best fit for his or her personal trading style.
The scores are based on the trading styles of Value, Growth, and Momentum. There's also a VGM Score ('V' for Value, 'G' for Growth and 'M' for Momentum), which combines the weighted average of the individual style scores into one score.
Value ScoreA
Growth ScoreA
Momentum ScoreA
VGM ScoreA
Within each Score, stocks are graded into five groups: A, B, C, D and F. As you might remember from your school days, an A, is better than a B; a B is better than a C; a C is better than a D; and a D is better than an F.
As an investor, you want to buy stocks with the highest probability of success. That means you want to buy stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2, Strong Buy or Buy, which also has a Score of an A or a B in your personal trading style.
Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) looks to find companies that have recently seen positive earnings estimate revision activity. The idea is that more recent information is, generally speaking, more accurate and can be a better predictor of the future, which can give investors an advantage in earnings season.
The technique has proven to be very useful for finding positive surprises. In fact, when combining a Zacks Rank #3 or better and a positive Earnings ESP, stocks produced a positive surprise 70% of the time, while they also saw 28.3% annual returns on average, according to our 10 year backtest.
Agnico Eagle is a senior gold producer with operations across Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico. The company outlines potential to lift annual gold output by 20% to 30% over the next decade, supported by optimization initiatives and a high-quality pipeline in premier jurisdictions. Large, long-life assets such as Detour Lake and Canadian Malartic, alongside advancing projects like Upper Beaver and Hope Bay, underpin sustained growth potential.
Potential Risks
Risks include gold price volatility and uncertainty around converting mineral resources into reserves. Project evaluations remain preliminary, with no assurance forecast production levels will be achieved.
Forecast
A Zacks Rank #1 points to positive estimate revisions. The Style Score of D for Value and B for Growth and Momentum suggests the story is more quality-and-growth than bargain hunting. The chart shows price accelerating with 2025–2027 consensus lines trending higher, and EPS surprises skewing positive since 2023, signaling analysts are still chasing results.
It’s important to understand what this list is, and what it isn’t.
For decades, the Zacks Rank has been a proven system that has helped investors identify stocks most likely to outperform. Instead of relying on hunches or hype, it’s grounded in earnings estimate revisions — a factor strongly correlated with stock price movement. When combined with additional fundamental metrics, the approach becomes even more powerful.
Still, it’s important to understand these basics:
While the list offers exposure across several industries, it is not a fully diversified portfolio. You should think of it as a starting point, not a complete investing strategy.
Even though these stocks are backed by a proven system, nothing protects you from short-term downside. Depending on market conditions, most — or even all — could decline in the near term.
The Zacks Rank works because it captures trends in earnings momentum. That power plays out over weeks and months, not days. Investors with patience and discipline are more likely to benefit.
Before buying any single stock, check how it aligns with your goals, risk tolerance, and broader portfolio.
Methodology
The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that uses trends in earnings estimate revisions and earnings-per-share (EPS) surprises to classify stocks into five groups: #1 (Strong Buy), #2 (Buy), #3 (Hold), #4 (Sell) and #5 (Strong Sell). The Zacks Rank is calculated through four primary factors related to earnings estimates: analysts' consensus on earnings estimate revisions, the magnitude of revision change, the upside potential and estimate surprise (or the degree in which earnings per share deviated from the previous quarter).
Zacks builds the data from 3,000 analysts at over 150 different brokerage firms. The average yearly gain for Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks is +23.62% per year from January, 1988, through June 2, 2025.
For this list, only companies in the top 50% of industries that have average daily trading volumes of 100,000 shares or more were considered. Stocks with a share value of $5 or less were excluded. These companies earned Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) between Feb. 2, 2026 and Feb. 14, 2026. All information is current as of market open, March 2, 2026.
Common Questions of New Investors
Where to Buy Stocks
To invest in stocks, you must open a brokerage account, fund the account and purchase stocks through your selected brokerage. Investors may also purchase stocks through a financial advisor or an automated robo advisor. Some publicly traded companies also offer a direct stock purchase plan, where you can purchase shares directly from the company.
Alternative Ways to Invest in Stocks
You can also invest in stock funds, such as mutual funds, index funds and exchange-traded funds, where the fund managers select the pool of stocks that follow an investing strategy. These funds may broadly cover an entire index, such as the S&P 500, or specific types of stocks, such as industries like technology and energy companies, company size such as small cap companies, or location like international companies.
How to Start Investing in Stocks Today
It’s easy to start investing by opening an online brokerage account. Opening a standard brokerage account takes about 20 minutes and you’ll need to have some personal information ready, such as your social security number and your bank details to fund your account.
You’ll need to decide whether to open a taxable account (most common), a tax-deferred retirement account such as a traditional IRA or a tax-free retirement account such as a Roth IRA, which is funded with after-tax dollars, but qualified withdrawals are tax-free. A margin account allows for borrowing to purchase stocks and is best for experienced traders.
Set goals before you begin investing – determine how much you can afford to invest and your tolerance for risk.
What to Look for When You Buy Stocks?
The goal in all equities investment is to buy low and sell high, growing your wealth over time. Researching the companies to invest in is key – what kind of product or service do they offer? How do they compare with competitors? How fast are they growing? Does the stock pay regular dividends to shareholders? Does the stock help diversify your portfolio by giving you exposure to a market segment you currently don’t hold?
Understanding fundamental analysis can help determine whether the stock has the potential for growth at its current purchase price. Factors that can help determine that include earnings per share (EPS), price-to-earnings ratio and PE growth. Technical analysis is used looking at statistical patterns to potentially predict future price moves. Some investors may look for a growth and income strategy, looking for stocks with solid revenues that pay good dividends, or a value strategy, looking if a current stock price is below what their revenue, EPS and other factors suggest.
Analysts also often look for the momentum of a stock by looking at moving averages of a stock's closing price over a 50-day, 100-day or 12-month trailing time period to determine signals whether to buy or sell a stock.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Strong Buy 
